


Crayons and Pens

by TheLetterY



Category: Voltron: Legendary Defender
Genre: Lance (Voltron)-centric, M/M, Pining Lance (Voltron)
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2018-12-13
Updated: 2018-12-13
Packaged: 2019-09-17 15:04:48
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 12,231
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/16976850
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/TheLetterY/pseuds/TheLetterY
Summary: "Well, I love stupid. Keith, being broken doesn't mean you're beyond repair. It's like fucking crayons! Even when they're broken in half they can still be used," he says, Keith giving him a look as he looks away, embarrassed. "I know, bad metaphor..." he mumbles sheepishly, ducking his head away from Keith's stare."No," Keith says, a ghost of a smile playing at his lips. "I like it...You know, you're pretty much like a pen yourself, having a strong and appealing front, but that doesn't stop the ink from leaking out sometimes, just like how emotional you are, but that doesn't mean you're useless. You always pull yourself back up, like how pens are refillable."Um," he says, feeling a blush make its way up his neck. "Dammit Keith, that was so cheesy," he retaliates, wanting to crawl under a rock for starting something like this.





	Crayons and Pens

**Author's Note:**

> This was purely self indulgent. I wasn't planning on posting this but I wanted to get something out in case I didn't finish the fic dedicated to S8. 
> 
> We pry and hope that S8 doesn't kill us all.
> 
> Good luck brave warriors.

There's a kid in Lance's class, his hair is long, almost shoulder length with the ends curling up. Lance had always thought that girls only kept their hair that long, he wonders if that kid's parents ever thought to take him out for a hair cut. But then something comes to mind, what if that kid doesn't have any parents?

Lance doesn't want to be insensitive, he was simply curious of the kid's hair. Some days it's messy, like he's just gotten out of bed and forgot to comb his hair, black hair sticking out in different directions. On other days his hair was in small clumps, and the only way Lance knew for this to happen is if the kid had cried himself to sleep and some tears got into his hair, either that or it was drool.

Lance learns that the kid's name was Keith, his best friend, Hunk tells him that Keith was rather a loner. It's true, Lance sees him sitting alone every recess, students alike avoiding him like the plague. Lance, again, was curious, wonders why no one talks to Keith, wonders if there was something wrong with him.

He makes up his mind, he was going to talk Keith.

The first thing Lance says to him was "your hair's weird," which promptly earns him a scowl. He was alone at his desk again, a red crayon in his grip, his arms are shielding the paper underneath, like he doesn't want Lance to see what was on it. Lance doesn't mind, it was not like he wanted to see what was on the paper, he just wanted to talk to Keith, the mysterious kid who likes to keep to himself.

"It's like a mullet. No, scratch that, it <i>is</i> a mullet," he exclaims, white teeth showing as much as his eagerness. But then Keith is staring at him weirdly, a thick eyebrow raised in question as Lance awaits for a reply.

His eagerness deflates when he receives none, Keith still staring as if waiting for him to elaborate. "You know, party at the back, business at the front?" He pushes on, but Keith still doesn't seem to get his point.

Lance sighs, defeated. "You're not very bright are you?" He mumbles, plopping down on the seat in front of Keith's.

This finally brings out a reply, it was kind of rude but Lance would take it. "You're the one who started saying weird stuff," Keith scoffs and Lance couldn't help but perk up at that.

"So he talks," Lance grins, watching the taken aback look that passes over Keith's face before he settles into a pout.

"What do you want?" He snaps as Lance's grin falls.

"I want to get to know you," Lance states, Keith flushing red and narrowing his eyes.

" _Why_ ," he hisses, a guarded look entering his expression.

"Because I want to be friends, duh!" He exclaims, the expression on Keith morphing into shock.

"But why _me_?" He says, a little panicked yet at the same time...excited? Or was he embarrassed? Lance couldn't quite tell.

"Cause I think you're cool," Lance says without missing a beat and Keith really looked troubled by this, confused even. Lance rolls his eyes. "Here, I'll give you my house address so you can stop by and we can hang out. Oh! But Mondays and Thursdays are off because my parents aren't at home and I'll have to be at my cousin's place," he says this as he pulls out a blue pen out from his pocket to scribble down his address on the small space of the paper that wasn't covered up by Keith's arms.

"Why are you being nice to me?" Keith asks and Lance could only look at him, a tad frustrated.

"You ask to much questions," he replies before quickly escaping the classroom towards the canteen to find Hunk and tell him about their new playmate.

* * *

 

Keith was the one who broke his record on the track and field team, he was also the one who scored the highest in Lance's favourite subject. Lance didn't know how to feel about this though, cause Keith couldn't really seem to care, the praises he receives and all the compliments the teachers seem to throw at him never really changed how lonely he looked.

Lance wanted to be mad at him, he wanted his record to be the highest in the track and field team, wanted the highest score in his favourite subject, but he couldn't be mad, not when Keith looked as if he hated the world. Lance interacts with him more, makes him smile and laugh and look less lonely.

Keith stops by the McClain house one day and is suddenly the centre of attention. Lance finds this amusing, starts laughing when his sisters started bringing out the bows and ribbons to play with his hair. Lance let's his sisters play with his hair as well, only to quell the sense of uneasiness Keith seems to have. They both end up with matching pigtails in the end, both lounging around in Lance's room playing video games, Lance losing every single round of Mario Kart.

Lance's mother insists that Keith stayed for dinner, but he refuses the invitation and ends up leaving the McClain household with this lonely look in his eyes.

"Your friend's adorable," his sister, Veronica tells him with a smile on her face, she ruffles his hair and leaves to go help set the table up for dinner. Lance stays by the doorway, watching as Keith is picked up by this old, run down pick up truck, he was smiling when the man in the car started talking to him, this rugged looking man who may be Keith's father. But then where was his mother? Was she at home or was she busy?

Lance watches as the pick up truck drives off, watches it until it disappears from his sight.

* * *

 

Lance doesn't go to the same middle school as Keith, but he still had Hunk and a new friend who immediately hit off with them after they caused the explosion in the science lab. Her name was Pidge, two years younger yet smarter and more mature than Lance would ever be. Pidge was nice, in her own maniac ways, but Lance sometimes feels a little left out whenever Pidge and Hunk would jump into a conversation involving things that really didn't make sense to him.

Middle school was fine, uneventful but fine. Lance made lots of other friends, had a little crush on this really pretty girl named Plaxum and even made it into the swim team. But then Keith barges his way back into Lance's life when he sees him at a McDonald's a few blocks down from his school.

He was just there, the same ol Keith with his same old mullet. He was was wedged in a small corner of the rowdy place, earphones on with a book placed in front of him. Lance watches him, noticing that his focus wasn't anywhere on the book and instead else where. The piercings were new though, glinting brightly from the fluorescent lights of McDonald's.

Lance wanted to walk over, but then his brother would question him as to _where_ he was going and then Lance would have to explain and then his mother would overhear him and then she would make a scen by greating Keith and then it would be so awkward because Lance doesn't really keep in touch with Keith. He looks bored now, twirling his pencil with thoughts so far away that Lance would have to use a telescope just to take a small peek at them.

A man slides up in the seat opposite from Keith, a gruff man who was not the man Lance saw when they were back in grade school. Keith momentarily acknowledges the man's presence with a simple glance and reaches for his smoothie before returning to staring at his book. The man in front of him seems to sigh, he then tells Keith something and Keith seems to consider before promptly looking at the man in the eye and sipping on his smoothie slowly, as if taunting.

Lance smiles to himself, seemingly almost proud at the sassy attitude Keith seems to be displaying.

"What are you looking at?" His brother, Marco who leans down to his level to question him has a raised eyebrow and is in search of the source of Lance's attention. Lance starts, then pushes his brother's face away, scowling when his brother ruffles his hair.

"Buzz off, Marco! I ain't looking at anything," he scoffs, earning his mother's attention.

His mother clears her throat, a pointed look directed at Lance as he sighs and tells her it was nothing.

"He's lying, mama. I could've sworn I saw him staring at something, wait- some _one_ ," his brother seems to say mockingly and Lance really couldn't help but to mentally curse at his brother's lack of loyalty towards his own sibling.

"Lance?" His mother calls out as he glares at his brother in distaste before looking back to his mother, who was patiently waiting for a reply.

"It's nothing, mama. _Really_ ," he stresses the word, hoping that she gets the message and just leave him alone.

His mother only hums in thought, warns Marco not to bother Lance too much and snaps her attention towards the counter when it was their turn in line. Lance's gaze finds itself traveling back towards where Keith was seated, unexpectedly meeting his gaze and pausing when his breath hitches suddenly.

Keith stares back, swallowing the remains of his smoothie and quickly averting his gaze. Lance felt a little hurt at that action, I mean how could he not? Lance thought they were best friends, well next to Hunk of course but that didn't mean he could just pretend not to know Lance...does it?

"Isn't that Keith?" Marco questions, bringing Lance back to reality and realizing the horrors that his mother might put him through if she heard Marco. "It _is_ him isn't it?" Lance wanted to shut his brother's mouth, wanted to do it on so badly.

His mother's attention is finally caught. "It is Keith! He hasn't visited in awhile has he?" His mother chimes, happy.

"Did you guys fight or something?" His brother teases and Lance scowls.

"No," he grumbles, crossing his arms as a sign of defence.

"Then you should go say 'hi'," his mother tells him as he gaps at her.

"But that'll be so awkward! I haven't seen him since sixth grade!" He exclaims, a little short of breath and a little incredulous. His mother raises a dark brow at him, jaw squared and giving him that look she gives when he doesn't clean his room. Lance knew he couldn't win against her, knows he will eventually have to give in, stalling time would only be a waste of energy.

"And you haven't had the decency to get his contact?" She questions and Lance wanted to argue, wanted to ask why she cared for someone else's child when she already had her hands full with her own children. Lance will find out about his mother's intentions a few years later, how guilty he would feel after learning it. Right now though, Lance couldn't bring himself to defy his mother, not when she was giving him that look.

"Oh, _fine_ ," he grumbles as she lightly pinches his cheek with that smile she gives when she was proud.

Lance walks over, feeling like his feet was dragging in cement. The fleeting gaze Keith gives him sends a sense of uneasiness through him, his steps now hesitant as he stops a few feet away from their table. Keith's gaze is on him again, and this time it stays on him.

"Lance," he acknowledges, the man seated in front of him turning his gaze towards Lance as well.

"Hey...Keith. Long time no see," he greets, cringing at the choice of words.

"Y-yeah," he mumbles, both lapping into silence. The man, like Keith, had a head of black hair, muscular with a demeanour of seriousness is looking back and forth between the both of them.

"Um," the man says, confused. "Sh-should I give you two some space?" He questions, making a move to leave as an immediate response of the both of them saying 'NO!' startled him back into his seat. Then he sighs, defeated. "Lance was it?" He questions, mouth set straight. Lance nods in reply.

"I've heard a lot about you from Keith," he tells him and it was Lance's turn to be confused now. He thought Keith didn't want anything to do with him.

" _Shiro_!" Keith practically yelps, a light shade of pink dusting his cheeks.

"Keith," the man replies, calm yet with a tone of teasing. "I'm trying to converse with someone, since you're too _shy_ to do it."

Keith takes a deep breath, Lance can't help but think that these two were close, their interaction eerily similar to his and Marco's not just a few minutes ago. " _Fine_ ," Keith grumbles, the man leaning back against his seat with a satisfied smirk.

Keith looks back to Lance, then immediately averting his gaze. Lance finds this endering some how, was Keith always this shy? "Um...hi," he mumbles, fingers playing with the tip of his smoothie's straw.

"Keith, we've already established greetings," Lance tells him, a smile climbing its way up.

Keith glares, the pink still evident on his cheeks, albeit a really light shade. "Shut up," he grumbles, glancing over to the man. "Oh, this is Shiro. He's ah...my brother," Keith says, eyes darting from Shiro to Lance.

Shiro nods in acknowledgement, Lance wondering of he should shake the his hand for formality. "I'm Lance, but you already knew that," he says sheepishly, a hand scratching the back of his back in obvious nervousness.

Shiro tilts his head, scrutinizing Lance carefully, and with a simple nod, he stands up from his seat moving to ruffle Keith's already unruly hair before patting Lance on the shoulder. "I just remembered I have to get a few things from home, so you two stay here while I do that, okay? Keep an eye on Keith while you're at it, Lance," Shiro says, winks when he finishes the last sentence before strolling out the entrance of McDonald's.

"Your brother's weird," Lance finds himself saying, earning himself a soft smile from Keith, somehow making Lance's insides feel funny.

"You'll get use to him, he's more tolerable that way," Keith says, eyes on the condensed water of his strawberry pink smoothie, a shocking favourite of his considering his cool persona.

"Actually, I never even knew you had a brother," Lance says, moving to take Shiro's previous seat.

Keith's lips are pursed, eyes locked on to the pooling condensed water gathering at the base of the plastic cup of his smoothie. Lance watches, waits for a reply, wondering if the question he asked was personal. Then Keith looks up, meets Lance's gaze and Lance could see the purple from his eyes, they're dim, a dark purple that almost seems black.

"I uh...don't really want to talk about it," he says, closing off, shoulders sagging and arms crossed.

Lance could see it, the Keith he met back in elementary school. The Keith who scowls at everyone, ignores the warnings of teachers and sits alone during lunch. He is glaring downwards now, brows furrowed like he was deep in thought. Lance wanted to reach out, to smooth the wrinkles on his brow and tell him that it will make him look older if he continues.

He could recall a time when he wanted to make Keith smile more, the him in elementary school who wanted to make friends with everybody had hoped to win over this sullen kid's smile. He did. They were close, but then graduation came up and none of them ever thought to keep in touch.

"Hey, Keith," he says, surprising himself by the sudden idea. "Why don't we text each other?"

Keith does this thing where he furrows his brows and squints at Lance, it was a look Lance had came accustomed to from their childhood, a sign of obvious confusion. Lance never thought he would miss this, miss their interactions and the little things Keith always displays. He doesn't regret the suggestion, hopes that Keith would accept the little offer he put out.

"But _why_ ," he questions and Lance's heart drops. Keith looks troubled though, eyes unfocused and expression distraught. Lance could guess what was going on.

"I'm not doing this cause I pity you, okay?" That got his attention. Keith snaps his gaze up, questioning and there was something else, something Lance couldn't quite place. "I miss you, man."

And then there was his eyes again, a deep purple with a hidden galaxy behind them, staring at Lance like he wanted to dig out every secret he has burried deep in the depths of his mind. The mirth is there, slowly making its way out along with the smile that completely throws Lance off guard.

"Thanks Lance," he says in a voice so soft it could have been Lance's imagination.

"Right," Lance says, patting around his pockets in search for something to write with, eyes off of Keith to keep from distractions. "Do you have anything on you that I can write my number with? Or maybe I'll give you my e-mail or something," he mumbles, close to gibberish with the way he almost has his mouth covered by his oversized hoddie, it was a hand-me-down from his brother to be more precise.

Then Lance remembers the blue crayon he had in his pocket, the blue crayon he had from one of his niece's colouring set. He digs it out of his pocket the same time Keith produces a red pen from his side. They stare at each other, Lance snorting and then laughing at the predicament as Keith gives a small smile, finding the situation ironic as well.

He uses the red pen to write his contact on a disposable napkin, drawing a winky face at the end for good measure and hands it to Keith. Keith slides him a napkin with his contact on it as well, the blue from the crayon contrasting greatly with the white from the napkin.

"I'll um...I'll text you," he tells him, winking and standing from his seat. He makes his way back towards his mother and brother, looking back towards Keith and smiling when he sees Keith staring at the piece of napkin with this look on his face.

His mother starts asking him questions once he reaches the table, Marco giving him that knowing smirk as he takes his seat and glares at him.

"It was fine," he replies his mother, locating his chicken burger and quickly stuffing it into his mouth to avoid answering anymore questions.

* * *

 

 **To: Keith. K**  
**From: the tailor blue**

sup hot shot! it's ya boi, Lancy-lance!!! ;;;;)  
13:40

 **To: the tailor blue**  
**From: Keith. K**

hot shot? And what's with the name? I almost didn't know it was you  
13:41

 **To: Keith. K**  
**From: the tailor blue**

yes hot shot, bc why not ;) and the name tailor is because of how I thread the needle, blue is bc its my fav colour. also, you did know it was me, stop lying! does that answer all your questions pretty boy?  
13:41

 **To: the tailor blue**  
**From: Keith. K**

wow, you reply fast.  
13:44

 **To: Keith. K**  
**From: the tailor blue**

Because you reply slow :p  
13:45

 **To: the tailor blue**  
**From: Keith. K**

Sure...but seriously? Thread the needle? What, you sew? And stop calling me names...  
13:46

 **To: Keith. K**  
**From: the tailor blue**

NO, i don't sew! It'll be cool if i did tho. AND FYI THE TAILOR SOUNDS COOL OK?? I have a pretty good aim if I do say so myself. And no, I won't stop calling you names, sweet cheeks ;)  
13:47

 **To: the tailor blue**  
**From: Keith. K**

good aim huh? AND I SAID STOP WITH THE NAMES, I'M IN CLASS NOW AND ANYONE COULD BE LOOKING OVER MY SHOULDER NOW.  
13:47

 **To: Keith. K**  
**From: the tailor blue**

aw, baby. Ya know, I'm also in class right now, and you have no idea how much effort I am putting in not to laugh right now...I might get caught T_T  
14:49

 **To: the tailor blue**  
**From: Keith. K**

I just got the stink eye from my history teacher for slamming my head on the table, why of all names would you call me BABY?!  
14:01

 **To: Keith. K**  
**From: the tailor blue**

lmao. You're adorable, Keith  
14:03

 **To: the tailor blue**  
**From: Keith. K**

I hope you're happy, you little shit. I just got a week's worth of detention  
15:56

 **To: Keith. K**  
**From: the tailor blue**

hah. what happened?  
15:57

 **To: the tailor blue**  
**From: Keith. K**

I said what the fuck a little too loud when I saw your previous message  
15:57

 **To: Keith. K**  
**From: the tailor blue**

you mean the one where I called you adorable? >///<  
15.57

 **To: the tailor blue**  
**From: Keith. K**

I hate you  
15.58

 **To: Keith. K**  
**From: the tailor blue**

love you too, cutie •3-~♡  
15.58

* * *

 

 **To: the tailor blue**  
**From: Keith. K**

Guess what?  
12:13

 **To:Keith. K**  
**From: the tailor blue**

it'll be great if you could at least give me a proper greeting first :(  
12:14

 **To: the tailor blue**  
**From: Keith. K**

...HELLO. Better? May I continue?  
12:14

 **To:Keith. K**  
**From: the tailor blue**

You may proceed :)  
12:14

 **To: the tailor blue**  
**From: Keith. K**

Thank you. Anyway, did you know what my brother asked me this morning? He asked me if i was dating anyone as of late  
12:15

 **To:Keith. K**  
**From: the tailor blue**

lol. Well, are you?  
12:15

 **To: the tailor blue**  
**From: Keith. K**

NO. Apparently he snooped through my phone and saw our text the other day, and thanks to YOU he thought it was my 'significant other'  
12:15

 **To: Keith. K**  
**From: the tailor blue**

Is it because of the nicknames i've been calling you?  
12:15

 **To: the tailor blue**  
**From: Keith. K**

Well what do you think?  
12:16

 **To:Keith. K**  
**From: the tailor blue**

I think I did a pretty good job, hot stuff ;))  
12:16

 **To: the tailor blue**  
**From: Keith. K**

I swear, you will be the death of me...  
12:17

 **To: Keith. K**  
**From: the tailor blue**

i am honoured ^_^  
12.17

* * *

 

Lance loses his first ever swimming competition. He tries not to think much about it, his teammates and family did their best to cheer him up, but he just couldn't seem to stop blaming himself for the loss. He knows the disappointed looks his teammates tried to cover up when he went to join them on the bleachers, it seemed that they weren't trying hard enough to hide their disappointment.

He starts skipping practice then, only because he couldn't bring himself to face his team. Hunk and Pidge never found out, neither did his family, it was only a matter of time though. Hunk and Pidge knew he had swim practice on Tuesdays and Thursdays, so they always left early without him, not that he minded, he didn't want them to worry.

Lance finds himself wondering the pier on one of those days, finding himself at a retro looking arcade with faded colours on the outside. The inside was lively, people of all age groups were there, parents with their kids, elementary students with pockets full of tokens, high schoolers gathered around pin ball machines, Lance thought he might as well hang out here till got the courage to go face his team.

He finds himself being drawn to the large cluster of people in one corner of the arcade, all gasping and cheering at someone having a go at the racing game. He had to squeeze through some high schoolers to finally get a view of the player, and is surprised when he finds himself recognizing a familiar head of unruly black hair.

"Keith?" He finds himself saying, the owner of the name startling and turning to meet his gaze.

"Lance?" He hears him say, the background music of the arcade ringing loudly in his ears as the screen in front of Keith displayed a large yellow 'WINNER'.

* * *

 

"Since when we're you an arcade type of guy?" He questions, watching as Keith pops a few pieces of popcorn into his mouth before tilting his head up at Lance and chewing.

"I'm afraid that question was rephrased too weirdly. Try again," he says before looking back towards the horizon.

Lance frowns, a close enough expression to a pout as it was his turn tilt his head up at Keith, trying to get a better view of his face to read his expressions. "Since when did you like going to arcades?" A pause, then. "Better?"

Keith turns back towards him, a teasing smile in place. "Better. But to answer your question you're going to have to answer mine as well."

Lance blinks, the onslaught of that smile and his answer taking him by surprise.

There is a long pause where Lance allows the sea breeze to comb through his hair and ruffle through his clothes. He moves his gaze towards the horizon, towards where the sky and ocean meet, trying to look past it. Keith is looking at him expectantly as he hums in thought, allowing Keith's knee to bump into his with their legs hanging off the dock.

He likes it here, he should come back here, and maybe he will.

"I'll answer your question, but your answer better be truthful or I'm backing out of this," he says a quirk at his lips when he sees Keith furrow his brows. "I can tell when you're lying, doll face."

Keith sputters, a deep blush reaching the tips of his ears. "I said _stop_ ," he grumbles, making the slight quirk in Lance's lips grow into a smirk.

"Anyway...my father used to take me here when I was younger. It was a Thursday after school thing where he would take me here and we would just...hang, I guess," he says, swinging his legs as the motion catches Lance's attention. He purses his lips shut, making himself hold back on asking Keith about what he meant by 'used to'. "I go here by myself now, since Shiro is always back late on Thursdays...coincidentally," he says the last part softly, Lance having to strain his hearing a bit.

He was curious now, what had Keith Kogane's life become over the few years that they were apart? This Keith had piercings, his demenour is more closed off and his voice is scratchy, all tall tale signs of puberty at work. But this Keith still had the same ol mullet, the same laugh and the crooked smile, he was still Keith.

"Honestly, it's been messy these few years, but life goes on anyway," Keith says and Lance suddenly taken aback by how mature Keith has gotten, that was the big difference in Keith that made Lance so jealous him...but at the same time he admired it. This Keith had been through so much without Lance's knowledge, has lived a hard life to get to the Keith today.

"I'm so envious of you right now," he admits and Keith gives him a look. "You're just...so out of my reach, so out there. I'm just a sheltered child, a boy who is still unexperienced."

Keith stares at him, an unreadable expression on his face. "Alright, I guess it's my turn to ask," he says as Lance gives him a weak smile.

"Ask away, babe."

Keith clears his throat before going on. "So what's gotten into you lately? And don't lie and say nothing is wrong because you have this look on your face like you just witnessed a puppy getting kicked. Talk McClain."

Lance lets an airy laugh out, propping his hands behind him to support his upper body to watch the beginning of the setting sun. "I-I'm a loser that's what," he says, Keith watching him carefully, waiting for him to elaborate.

"I just lost this tournament and dissapointed every know person in my school. They don't show it, but I know they're thinking it, cause they're not really good at hiding it," he says, bringing his legs up to hug them. "I don't know Keith, I'm not like you, I can't just say 'life goes on anyway' cause the past haunts me sometimes, and then I feel like I'm being dragged behind."

Keith looks away from him, and Lance is slightly hurt by that gesture.

"You can't be me, Lance. I'm broken. You've got cracks in your life but you are not broken. I'm that one who should be envious of _you_ ," Keith says, eyes away from Lance. "I can only say 'life goes on anyway' is because I'm numb to the pain, I can't feel it anymore."

Lance scoffs, earning himself an offended glare from Keith. "Sorry dude, it's just...both of us sound so emo right now. Like we're both just your average moody teens complaining about how fucked up life is."

Keith smiles and Lance feels a lot lighter now. "Well, we _are_ still technically going through puberty," he says and then frowns all of a sudden. "Are you--you're taller than me now!" Keith exclaims in an offended tone.

It was true, Lance was a few inches taller now. He grins widely. "Well, will you look at that!"

Keith scowls, tossing a few pieces of popcorn into Lance's direction as Lance makes a show of catching one of the few pieces into his mouth and chewing on it.

"Caramel," he hums and earns a hard shove from Keith.

* * *

 

 **To: Keith. K**  
**From: the tailor blue**

KEITH!!!!  
03:09

 **To: the tailor blue**  
**From: Keith. K**

do you know what time it is? What the hell McClain?  
03:15

 **To: Keith. K**  
**From: the tailor blue**

took you long enough to answer! I'm freaking out man, what if i screw up again tomorrow????  
03:15

 **To: the tailor blue**  
**From: Keith. K**

you will if you don't go to sleep now!  
03:15

 **To: Keith. K**  
**From: the tailor blue**

keith...please tell me you'll be there, promise me you'll be there  
03:16

 **To: the tailor blue**  
**From: Keith. K**

I'll be there Lance...I promise. Get some sleep alright? You've got a big day ahead of you  
03:17

 **To: Keith. K**  
**From: the tailor blue**

Okay...good night  
03:17

 **To: the tailor blue**  
**From: Keith. K**

Night...  
03:18

* * *

 

Here he was again, lined up with swimmers of the like, the buzzing of the crowd overhead. He scans the spectators, finding his teammates on one end and finding Pidge and Hunk with his family on the other end, his panic starts coming at him full force when he doesn't find Keith, eyes frantic as he scans the bleachers over and over again. His eyes are on Hunk when he notices that his best friend was gaping at something from the middle section of the bleachers.

Hope swells up in him when meets Keith's gaze, a grin and a small wave was all it took to chase his nervousness away. So he faces the water, the chlorine smell strong and nauseating, but Lance embraces it, cause this was his home turf, what he likes to refer to as his calling. So he jumps and meets the water.

He hoped to win this time, or at least place better than the last time, cause it wouldn't be fun if he couldn't show off a little to Keith.

* * *

 

"Congrats man! You set a new tournament record!" His captain was saying, slapping him on the back and making him cringe inwardly.

"We never doubt you dude!" Another one of his teammate was saying, but Lance could only think 'yeah right' as he tries looking past his team to get a glimpse of Keith.

"Lance, I think someone is here to see you," one of the senior members cooed and Lance whips his head towards where he was pointing, hopeful.

"Nyma?" He mutters, hope deflating.

"That was great Lance! You were amazing!" She gushes, leaving Lance confused, cause she never noticed him before, why the change of heart?

Then he catches a glimpse of Keith, talking to Shiro in what looked like a bored expression with his hands stuffed in his hoddie pockets. He moves past Nyma, ignoring the way she calls after him. He is moving past other spectators now, in a trance as he keeps his eyes on Keith. His family starts running up to him and blocking his view of Keith then, congratulatory hugs and pats on the shoulder suddenly envelop him and by the time it surpasses, Keith was gone.

* * *

 

 **To: Keith. K**  
**From: the tailor blue**

want to meet up at the pier later?  
14:32

 **To: the tailor blue**  
**From: Keith. K**

What? So you can beat me at that shooting game again? Nice try sharpshooter, but I'm good.  
14:52

 **To: Keith. K**  
**From: the tailor blue**

Sharpshooter? SHARPSHOOTER?! OMG THAT IS PERFECT  
14:56

 **To: ninja sharpshooter lance**  
**From: Keith. K**

YOU DID NOT  
14:56

 **To: Keith. K**  
**From: ninja sharpshooter lance**

oh yes I did. I would like to thank you for this opportunity my dear keithy keith  
14.56

 **To: ninja sharpshooter lance**  
**From: Keith. K**

Why are you like this...  
14:57

 **To: Keith. K**  
**From: ninja sharpshooter lance**

Im more loveable that way <3  
15:00

 **To: ninja sharpshooter lance**  
**From: Keith. K**

...Ninja?  
15.01

 **To: Keith. K**  
**From: ninja sharpshooter lance**

Don't you think it makes it sound more cooler?  
15:01

 **To: ninja sharpshooter lance**  
**From: Keith. K**

I really don't...  
15:01

 **To: Keith. K**  
**From: ninja sharpshooter lance**

rude :( Our pier data by the way...?  
15:04

 **To: ninja sharpshooter lance**  
**From: Keith. K**

Do you have to call it a date?  
15:05

 **To: Keith. K**  
**From: ninja sharpshooter lance**

Yes :) and i have an idea on how to make it more fun  
15:05

 **To: ninja sharpshooter lance**  
**From: Keith. K**

Let's hear it  
15:05

 **To: Keith. K**  
**From: ninja sharpshooter lance**

Whoever loses the most games buys the winner milkshakes  
15:06

 **To: ninja sharpshooter lance**  
**From: Keith. K**

You're on  
15:06

* * *

 

There's this guy in Lance's homeroom, his hair is long, almost shoulder length with the ends curling up. It looked like a mullet, no, it was exactly that, a mullet. The first time Lance sees him he swears time slowed down and that the buzzing noises of the other students sounded like nothing but white noises.

The guy with the mullet, the front his hair is being held back by headphones, a hand is propped upright to support his head while his gaze is casted downwards. He's twirling a blue pen with his right hand, studying the white paper in front of him with such intensity that Lance was surprise didn't burn the paper.

Lance didn't know how long he had been standing and staring, but a pause in the mullet guy's movements suddenly reminded him where he was. It was the first day of high school, Lance a was a freshman now, so were Hunk and Pidge, both who were in a different homeroom than Lance. It was the first day and Lance could already feel the pumping of adrenaline rushing through his veins when he comes face to face with Keith Kogane.

* * *

 

"You never told me you were coming into this school."

"You never asked."

Lance frowns, expecting a different answer. He then watches as Keith pokes experimentally at the cafeteria food, a furrow to his brow as he shrugs and stabs at the meat. Pidge and Hunk are seated opposite from them, Hunk watching them carefully and Pidge idly munching on her sandwich.

"I never asked cause it was never brought up," he tells him, still watching him as he slowly chews on the food.

"There's your answer, it was never brought up," he replies, pushing the tray of food away from his person and frowning in disgust. Then he looks to Hunk. "Don't eat that," he tells him as Hunk looks at his own tray in disgust before pushing it away as well.

Lance groans, burying his head into his arms, side eyeing Keith when he feels a soft kick to his shin.

"Are you two..." Lance moves his gaze to Pidge, watching as she squints suspiciously at them. "...dating?" He sits up abruptly, bumping his knee against the table and openly gaping at her.

"N-NO!" He yells the same time Keith does, face hot and heart hammering against his chest.

"Really?" She grins. "No need to get so jumpy."

Lance glances at Hunk, a silent plea for help. But Hunk is still scrutinizing them and Lance had to bite back groan when he finally says something.

"Maybe their secretly dating," he whispers to Pidge and grins when Lance smacks him on the arm.

"I'm disowning the both of you as my friends," he grumbles, arms crossed and pout in place.

"Well, at least you'll still have Keith," Pidge chirps, Hunk smiling in amusement.

"Can you believe them?" He says as he whips his head towards Keith, ready to let more complaints spill. He pauses immediately when he actually notices why Keith was so quiet. Keith's gaze is fixed downwards, towards his lap, the tips of his ears are beat red and Lance bets that his whole face was too if it weren't for the fact that half his face was shield by his hand.

Lance blinks, feeling heat crawl up his neck by the sight of a flustered Keith. His heart is still hammering against his chest and he could feel the tips of his ears burning as well. His stomach is fluttery and feels light, like he could float at any moment.

He doesn't know what this feeling is, bets that he may be high on something, and maybe he'll just blame it on the cafeteria food.

* * *

 

When Lance answered the door and let Keith in, he wasn't expecting his whole family to come greet him as well. Keith could only stand by the doorway, fidgety and embarrassed with all the sudden attention he was receiving. Lance didn't know why he felt annoyed with the divided attention Keith was giving him, could only loudly declare that he and Keith had a project to do before promptly dragging Keith into his room.

Keith gives him this strange look when they entered his room, he looked partly relieved yet at the same time amused. Lance could only sigh and plop down on one of the bean bags in his room, lazily gesturing for Keith to take a seat. Was he sulking? Maybe. He loves his family, he really does, but he can't help but dread the onslaught of teasing that would be headed his way for his earlier stunt, he regretted it now.

Keith takes a seat on his bed, the look of nostalgia on his face making Lance feel funny.

"It's like it never changed," he mutters, looking up at the glow in the dark starts on his ceiling. Lance smiles, gaze soft on Keith.

"They don't really glow anymore," he says, watching as Keith turns to face him, piercings glinting against the fluorecent light of his room.

"Obviously," he says, a quirk to his lips and Lance could only stare. Since when did it get to the point where Keith would smile so much? And it was directed at Lance too.

"Obviously," he echoes, Keith raising a confused brow at him. "So, were you overwhelmed by my familia's sudden welcoming? Cause I was," he deadpans as Keith bites his bottom lip in thought, Lance's eyes following that action.

"Why are they so excited to see me anyway? Did you say something to them?" He queries, eyes narrowed in suspicion.

"Uh, because they missed you? And yes it's because I told them you were coming...scratch that, I only told my mom but the rest somehow found out," he replies, trying to read Keith's expression. "Except it Keith, you're being loved, embrace it. Hunk is basically adopted into my family already, you're probably going to be next," he jokes, but Keith doesn't smile or even smirk, only staring at his hands with this confused look on his face.

Lance sighs and moves to sit beside Keith. "Hey man, what's up?"

"Nothing...it's stupid," he sighs, defeated.

"Well, I love stupid. Keith, being broken doesn't mean you're beyond repair. It's like fucking crayons! Even when they're broken in half they can still be used," he says, Keith giving him a look as he looks away, embarrassed. "I know, bad metaphor..." he mumbles sheepishly, ducking his head away from Keith's stare.

"No," Keith says, a ghost of a smile playing at his lips. "I like it...You know, you're pretty much like a pen yourself, having a strong and appealing front, but that doesn't stop the ink from leaking out sometimes, just like how emotional you are, but that doesn't mean you're useless. You always pull yourself back up, like how pens are refillable.

"Um," he says, feeling a blush make its way up his neck. "Dammit Keith, that was so cheesy," he retaliates, wanting to crawl under a rock for starting something like this.

"As long as mine's better than yours," he says, Lance kicking his shin in reply.

"So what were you thinking just now?" He questions, wanting oh so badly to break down more of his walls.

"I guess...I was thinking about my mom," he tells Lance, startling him with the answer. "I just...I never really got to meet her, she never even showed up to my dad's funeral. It's just me and Shiro now."

Lance purses his lips in thought, processing the information.

"I think your family is great, they really are, and I have nothing against that. I think I'm just jealous of it," he admits, a frustrated sigh following right after. "I told you it was stupid," he grumbles, arms crossing as he buries his face into Lance's pillow.

"Aw Keith, I drool on that," the pillow is immediately tossed in his direction and directly in his face.

"Project time," he grumbles, moving to retrieve his bag and notes, leaving Lance to laugh hysterically into his own pillow. "You're adorable Keith," he says in between laughter and he could literally feel Keith rolling his eyes at him.

"And you are incompetent," he sneers, shaking his head when Lance rolls on to the floor, pillow still in his clutches.

"Feel better now Mullet?" He questions, watching Keith pause in his actions and immediately burying his face into his bag, groaning. Embarrassed, Keith was embarrassed and Lance would take that over sulking Keith anytime.

* * *

 

Lance knows something was wrong when he dreams of unruly black hair, and bright eyes that night. Small smiles and teasing smirks, hands with calluses that could be so gentle on paper when he was drawing, laughter so rare that when he does hear it, it sends his heart skyrocketing. He knows this feeling, has read it in multiple novels and watched it on multiple telanovas, he just couldn't seem to accept it.

He wanted to ignore the signs, at least until he could sort out his feelings. But whenever he came across Keith, those signs flashes brighter and alarmingly obvious. Avoiding him was out of the question, mainly because he would get suspicious and Lance didn't want that.

Pidge one day announces that she now had a cryptic hunter partner and to Lance's surprise, was Keith. She tells Lance that she found him sketching Mothman one day and then immediately launched into theories surrounding it. After that they spent hours watching videos and documentaries of aliens. Lance laughed after that, told her he was glad she found something in common with Keith as she then proceeds to tell him that he got a 'good catch'.

Hunk tells him that he was glad Lance reached out to Keith in grade school. Says that Lance was happier now, not as self doubting as before and that Keith was a great guy. Lance had question him of the sudden sappy talk, but Hunk merely shrugged, this far away look in his eyes.

He wonders if the both of them were trying to tell him something. Maybe telling him to make a move? But he didn't want to, at least not yet.

* * *

 

Lance is by the local pool when he sees Keith again. Keith has his hair pulled back into a messy ponytail, some black strands escaping from the rubber band's confinement. His neck was exposed, exposed to the eyes of the outside world (and Lance), pale skin glistening with sweat from the Summer heat.

Lance tries to keep his eyes away from him, focusing on the kiddie pool and all the tiny limbs splashing about in the chlorine filled water. Taking up a part time job as a lifeguard was Keith's idea, the suggestion only being a joke but Lance was thrilled with the idea and went for it anyway.

People watching, it wasn't exactly a favourable hobby in Lance's opinion, only because Lance was the one who draws attention to himself. Hunk and Pidge were some where in the area too, probably off goofing around some place while Lance hoped that they don't get banned from the public pool. His shift was almost up anyway, only waiting to finally switch with his co-lifeguard, Plaxum.

"Did you even bring a swimming suit?" He questions Keith, noting the black tank top and shorts he had on, keeping his focus away from the part of his mind that was chanting: biceps, biceps, biceps--

Keith meets his gaze, Lance catching the line of sweat leaving a wet trail down his neck and collar bone and then disappearing beneath the collar of his shirt. He licks his lips, gaze moving past Keith to stare at the tree behind him.

"I don't plan on swimming," Keith says, Lance snapping his attention back to him.

"Then why are you here?" He questions, knowing it sounded a bit rude but he wanted to be sure of something, wanted to test the waters. Keith's slight struggle to reply gave him hope, hope that maybe he wasn't hallucinating and that there was _something_ there.

"Hunk and Pidge invited me to come," he replies, Lance's shoulders dropping in disappointment as he nods in acknowledgment to the reply. "...and you were here so I thought that maybe we could...I don't know...hang?" He says softly, but Lance heard it, a smile stretching across his face as he puts an arm around Keith.

"Are you blushing?!" He teases, Keith scowling and crossing his arms, blush deepening.

"I could say the same to you," Keith says, Lance blinking and laughing nervously before clearing his throat and releasing Keith.

The back of his neck felt hot, his face and the tips of his ears too. Keith didn't look any better, Lance didn't think the heat helped either. So he stands there with Keith, wondering why Plaxum has yet to come and where Pidge and Hunk were.

A kid comes up to them, offers them a bottle of sunscreen before running back to his mother. Lance stares at the bottle, a picture of the sun wearing sunglasses imprinted on it with the wordings 'Sunblock', how ironic was that? Then again, all sunscreen lotions were hypocritical. He looks to Keith who has his gaze on the bottle of sunscreen as well, then he locks gazes with Lance, a brow raised in question.

Lance could only shrug, because what the hell?

* * *

 

Words could hurt, and Lance knew that. Nothing could be taken back once someone got hurt, it's just like scraping a knee or taking a direct hit from a bullet, words had their own level of pain. Lance remembers the hurtful words people said to him, some said it jokingly while some meant it, it never changed the fact that he still got hurt.

He catches people calling him dumb sometimes, like whatever he did to cheer them up and make them laugh is swept under the rug just like that. Of course he was use to it, has become numb to it because he knows he can get decent grades. Sure he has made bad decisions before that warrants that title 'dumb', but he was allowed to make mistakes wasn't he? Cause it was only human to do so.

"Where's Keith?" He questions one day when he finds only Pidge and Hunk at their usual hang out place by the bleachers.

Hunk sends him a concerned look, and Lance knew that that was a bad sign.

"He got sent to the disciplinary's office..." Pidge tells him, eyes focused on her laptop's screen, her expression guarded. Lance worries.

"What did he do?" He questions, setting his belongings next to Hunk's.

"Something," Hunk says, voice quiet. Pidge looks up from her laptop then, glancing at Lance with this look on her face.

"Something," she agrees and turns back to her laptop hesitantly.

Lance narrows his eyes, a little hurt that they won't tell him what was going on with Keith. "Tell me," he orders softly, tired sounding.

"Keith told us not to," Pidge says as Hunk nods in agreement.

Lance huffs indignantly at their lack of cooperation, shouldering his bag and glancing at the both of them. "Then I guess I'll just find him and ask him myself," he tells them with a final huff before marching back into the school in search for Keith.

He passes by students in the hallway, it's loud and crowded like how it always is during recess. He hears them murmuring amongst themselves, gossip that travels to his ears and makes him pause at the mention of Keith's name. His breath is held in anticipation as he hears other students mentioning Keith's name, traveling across the hallway like a high tide.

Keith punched a teacher, he punched Iverson, he punched and injured said teacher's eye. Lance stands in the middle of the hallway for a while, trying to absorb the information as several students shoulder past him. He finds himself moving forward again once everything sunk in, shouldering past students and ignoring those that try calling out to him.

They were Sophomores now, Lance didn't want Keith dropping out on him. He walks faster, pumping more force into his legs as he starts sprinting towards the disciplinary office. Everything passes by in a blur, faces he recognizes and faces he doesn't, blue lockers standing out brightly against the beige walls as he reminds himself over and over again to breath.

He stops running when he sees Keith seated outside the office alone, arms crossed with an unreadable expression on his face. He can't seem to find it in himself to move forward again, feet planted to the ground like he was glued there. Keith doesn't look to his direction, his gaze is preoccupied with the ground and his shoe claded feet. Lance wanted to call out to him, but his voice catches in his throat when the door to the office opens.

Shiro steps out and Lance wanted to know what would happen to Keith then, he wanted to know badly. But he doesn't get to know, cause Shiro is leading Keith down another hallway, his expression is grim, and so terribly guarded, Lance fears for the worse.

Only when they were out of sight that Lance realized something...Keith never once looked his way, and it hurt, more than those unsaid words.

* * *

 

He pesters Hunk and Pidge for the rest of the day, trying to get them to tell him how Keith got himself into so much trouble. Pidge manages to shake him off by making a bet with him, a bet that involed her telling him Keith's situation if he won and him to leave her alone if she won. Pidge won of course, that left Hunk, and Hunk was easy to crack.

"Hunk?"

"No, Lance."

Okay, so maybe Lance underestimated Hunk's stubbornness, but nothing a little prodding won't do.

"I'll tell you what my Abuela puts in her brownies that makes it so delicious?"

"Tempting...if your Abuela hadn't already given me the recipe herself."

Lance stays silent for a while, wondering why his Abuela would betray him like that...but then again, everyone liked Hunk. He sighs instead, defeated and tired from the day's slaughter and what would be the onslaught of the next day as he plops down lazily next to Hunk.

"You know, Lance," he straightens a little at the sound of his name. "You could always ask him yourself," Hunk suggests, Lance looking at him like he had just grew another head.

* * *

 

 **To: Keith. K**  
**From: ninja sharpshooter lance**

hey  
18:09

Keith?  
18:17

please tell me whats going on...  
18:18

:(  
18:20

* * *

 

So Keith wasn't replying to his text messages. Was it something he did to anger him? Why does it seem like everyone knew what happened except him? Lance wanted answers, _needed_ them now more than ever.

For the past few days he finds himself pondering for a solution, some friends and teachers even start questioning about his odd behaviour while Hunk and Pidge continued to stay silent about the matter. He even tried confronting several other teachers to get answers out of them, but he only came out empty and more frustrated.

By the time a month rolled by, Iverson was back to teaching with an extra eye-patch on his face, and Lance didn't like the look he gave him when they crossed paths in the hallway. It was a side glance, his expression almost taunting, mocking, and Lance wonders what he did to get him so riled up. He stopped with the pranking (at least for now) and he was doing okay in Iverson's class. So what gives?

Hunk and Pidge finally fess up a few days later, telling him the reason why Keith got expelled was partly because of Lance himself. They told him that Giffin, a classmate of Keith's was taunting him by saying horrible things about his absent parents and that Iverson was the one who stopped Keith from punching and further hurting Griffin even more. Iverson only got himself injured by Keith because he said Keith should stop hanging out with Lance since he was a bad influence.

As Lance tries to absorb the information, he couldn't quite help himself when he mutters 'idiot' under his breath.

* * *

 

Lance finds himself at a convenience store a few blocks away from his house one day, flipping through magazines dully as he listens to customers coming in and out. A particularly picky customer was asking for a specific cereal brand, insistently asking the staff to check their stock when the staff _clearly_ told them that they never sold said cereal brand in the first place. A child was crying in the back somewhere and Lance could hear the mother sighing tiredly and softly trying to shush her child.

He muses to himself that you could only encounter situations like these in a convenience store as he he flips to the next page of the magazine without really reading the previous page. Then he sighs and places the magazine back on the stand, gaze moving to the entrance of the store to see a familiar head of hair. His hair is longer, a little bit past his shoulders now, he looks tired too, purple bags visible for the world to see.

"Keith," he finds himself whispering softly, as Keith pauses and turns to face him, almost as if the wind had carried his words to him. Keith's eyes widen in surprise, purple irises catching the light from the fluorecent lights of the convenience store and making it gleam when their gazes meet.

It's a little funny how this encounter fits into the novels that his sister, Rachel likes to read. Lance kind of understands what the books meant when they say 'time slows down', he could feel every muscle in his body screaming at him to go to Keith, telling him that he might regret it if he doesn't. So Lance runs after Keith when he dashes out of the convenience store, pumping energy into his legs to reach him.

"Keith!" He calls out, frustrated and desperate.

Keith is faster than Lance, more atheletic than him, but Lance is familiar with the neighbourhood. He loses sight of Keith when he turns into a narrow corner, jumping over boxes and nearly stepping on a cat's tail. He catches sight of Keith again after turning into another corner, so he runs at full speed and tackles him to the ground, the scraps and bruises he gains from the fall making him hiss in pain as he pins Keith down.

Keith narrows his eyes at him,a frown resembling a pout decorating his features.

"Lance--" Keith tries to say, getting cut off by Lance burying his face into the crook of his neck.

"Never do that again," he says, panting, Keith stiffening in response. Lance could see the blood rushing up his neck, and he wonders if Keith was blushing.

"Wha--" Lance let's out an airy laugh, his breath hitting against Keith's neck as he could litterally feel him fidgeting under him.

"Ticklish?" he queries, thankful that his voice wasn't shakey as Keith nods in response. His heart is beating wildly, he could feel it against his rib cage, he could feel the blood rushing through his veins. "You scared the shit out of me man," he tells him, unmoving from his position flat on top of Keith.

He pulls back, far enough to see Keith's whole face, his glare and his flusttered cheeks. Anyone could walk in on them, anyone out for an evening jog or anyone out to walk their dog, it was after all Autumn, and Lance knew that residents loved roaming around during Autumn. He didn't care though.

"I missed you," he finds himself saying, Keith's glare morphing into a wide eye stare. "I hate that I missed you," he says, voice coming out shakey as Keith bits his bottom lip in response, Lance's attention being pulled towards it.

"I don't understand why you had to do what you did...and I know you did it with reason. But..." He pauses, Keith turning his head away, guilty. "...I was so confused...ya know? " he says, then groaning and burying his face back into the crook of Keith's neck, hands clenched tightly in to a fist.

Keith is stiff, his hand awkwardly placed on top of Lance's head, unmoving. "...I think I was afraid of losing you," He admits at last, his heart racing and mind swirling.

The silence that falls between them isn't deafening, nor is it awkward, it's the type of silence that only occurs between the two of them. The cool Autumn breeze was relaxing, trees rustling and leaves dancing with the wind, truely one of nature's greatest gift. With any movement they make, the leaves below them would crunch in protest, the bright yellow, red and orange leaves.

"Can I talk now?" Keith questions, Lance turning to face him, the small gap between them leaving him breathless.

"Depends, am I going to like what I'm about to hear?" He asks, Keith blinking at him in amusement.

"Maybe," he smiles, then a short pause before he speaks again, more serious this time. "To be honest, I think I was running away," Keith admits, but he doesn't look upset or even troubled, his soft smile is there. Lance finds that he can't take his eyes off him.

"I got so mad when I heard what Iverson was saying about you. He said something about you being a nuisance, and that you were holding me back. So I guess I just lost control...and I have no idea why," he let's out a weak laugh, eyes facing towards the sky, Lance could see the clouds reflected in his eyes, white and fluffy, floating about without a care in the world.

"Keith, do you get butterflies in your stomach sometimes?" Lance questions out of the blue, eyes still fixed in Keith as he turns to face him. Keith stares back at him.

"Yeah..." he replies as Lance jumps into the next question quickly.

"What about sweaty palms? Do you get that sometimes?" He questions, eyes lighting up with clarity.

"Uh...I guess..." says Keith, an eyebrow raised in a silent question.

"What about rapid heartbeats? Does that happen?"

"Why are you asking me this?" Keith questions, an amused chuckle following right after.

"Because!" Lance says loudly, suddenly jolting up and startling Keith. Keith sits up as well, head tilting up at Lance in confusion. "I want to confirm something," he says, facing Keith with a serious expression on his face.

"What?" Keith questions, gaze soft.

"Do all of those things I've listed happen to you when I'm around?"

Keith is silent, looking as if he was processing the information. Lance watches in amazement as Keith's face slowly turns red from embarrassment, realization hitting him as hard as a bullet train. Lance grins, moving to clasp his hands around Keith's.

"I think I love you, Keith," he grins, Keith's face exploding brilliantly red.

* * *

 

Lance first kisses Keith when he comes to pick him up from school. He had attracted more attention than needed when he came by the school's parking lot, suavely leaning against his motorcycle with his hair tied up and cozy in the leather jacket he had on. Honestly, Lance was a little shock at the sudden appearance, but pleased none the less. He had squinted his eyes to scrutinize him from a distance, watching how he casually ignores gaping mouths and prying gazes.

Okay, but since when did Keith ever rode a bike? He worries a bit for the attention he was drawing to himself, afraid that he might get caught by a teacher. Lance marches up to him then, giddy when his eyes lights up at the sight of him.

"Hey," he greets, crooked smile in place. Keith smiles back at him, head slightly tilted upwards to face him.

"Hey," he greets in reply, sounding somewhat breathless and relived.

"Here to give me a lift?" He had questioned, in awe of the slight flush in Keith's cheeks.

"Why else would I be here?" Keith had replied, eyebrows raised with that boyish smirk that makes Lance weak in the knees.

"To reclaim your rights here?" He jokes, Keith rolling his eyes but smiling up to him anyway. "Seriously though, aren't you the least bit concern about what might happen if the teachers--ahem--Iverson--ahem--find out you're here?" Lance questions, eyes roaming around to find several students lingering around to stare.

Keith shrugs, suddenly looking uncomfortable under the gazes of busy-body students. Lance clicks his tongue unconsciously, annoyed at the prying eyes.

"Sorry folks, but this gay ass is already mine!" He announces loudly, pulling Keith by the wrist to somewhere more scheduled.

"Lance," Keith had called, sounding amused as Lance halts his advances forward.

"Yes?" He questions, turning to face him.

"Thanks," Keith tells him, smile bashful as Lance stared, noticing how his own reflection was mirrored in Keith's eyes. Keith's expression slowly morphs into concern at the lack of reply, lips frowning and thick eyebrows furrowed as Lance continues to stare.

"I'm going to kiss you now," he mutters quietly, Keith's shocked expression sending uncertainty through him.

They're behind the main school building, a place Lance never imagined his first kiss with Keith to be. He was nervous, he could tell that Keith was just as nervous. But Lance wanted to kiss him, he was sure of that.

Keith is silent when Lance pulls him in by the hips, is still silent when Lance lets his lips hover above Keith's, warm breath fanning against his face. Surprisingly enough, it was't Lance who initiates the kiss first, it was Keith, who all but pulls Lance by the collar of his favourite shirt and slams his lips against his. Surprised and delighted, Lance allows his free hand to sneak into Keith's mass of unruly hair, the rubber band holding his hair up slipping off as he hums in satisfaction when he finds out how soft his hair was.

He nimbly registers Keith's cold fingers playing with the ends of his hair at the back of his neck, sending shivers down his spine as he lightly bites at Keith's bottom lip. Keith gasps, teeth knocking against Lance's as he quietly murmurs an apology while Lance giggles and pulls him back in. There's a slight tug where Keith pulls him in closer and Lance had to stop himself from grinning widely when he hears Keith gasps at the contact of his fingers dragging along his spine underneath his shirt.

Lance finds the chance to slip his tongue into Keith's mouth next, exploring with vigour as Keith makes noises Lance never dreamt of hearing before. They pull a part for some air, Keith staring up at him in a daze as he licks his lips experimentally.

"Let's get out of here," Keith tells him, eyes never leaving Lance's lips and face oh so terribly red.

"Yeah, let's. I'm not done with you yet, hon," he says and feels a hard shove to his side, laughing in glee when he sees the adorable pout on Keith's face.

* * *

 

"Keith, I'm ditching prom. We'll head out to pier instead," Lance says, eyes focused intently on the video game turned on.

Keith hits the pause button, preventing Lance's character from throwing a finishing move on Keith's. He groans, slanting against the bean bag as his game controller slips out of his hand and on to the carpeted floor. He hears Keith shift beside him and he turns to find him approaching.

"When is it?" Keith questions, standing above him with hands on his hips. Lance stares up at him, reaching out to pull him down on to his lap. He then buries his face in to the crook of Keith's neck, humming in satisfaction when Keith chuckles in amusement. "Lance--"

"Next week," Lance says, arms around Keith's waist. "I'm not going if you're not there," he says, not even the slightest bit worried that his family might walk in on them, in the living room of the McClain household.

Keith seems to be deep in thought as Lance watches him through hooded eyelids.

"Fine. We'll do whatever you want then," Keith says, gaze soft as he brings Lance's gaze towards him. Lance grins, pulling Keith in for a kiss when he hears a loud sigh behind them.

"For the love of-- Lance, what did I say about PDA," Veronica, his oldest sister grumbles as she eyes them from the entrance to the kitchen.

"No one was around!" He protests, arms up in a dramatic gesture. "And you ruined the mood," he grumbles, moving to bury his face back into the crook of Keith's neck.

He feels the vibrations of Keith's laugh, sounding sheepish and apologetic when he shouldn't. "Sorry Veronica," Keith says, Lance pouting.

"It's alright Keith. How've you been anyway? S'been a while since I saw you," she says, mouth quirked in a smile that shows a little bit of teeth.

"Things have been...great," he says, meeting Lance's gaze with that soft look of his, turning his insides to mush as he keeps his eyes on Keith. "I would never change a thing..." he whispers and Lance would have kissed him if it weren't for Veronica still standing there.

* * *

 

Shiro and Keith's house was small, enough to occupy a family of three, four if you squeezed. They had picture frames up in every corner of the house, pictures varying from picturesque sceneries to pictures of Shiro and Keith from their younger days. Books and papers littered the floor, varying from novels to guide books and even to cook books. Lance had to make sure to avoid stepping on the occasional stationaries that littered the floors.

It was very different from his home, his home was semi-neat, his mother made sure everyone in the house had a role on the 'chore board' and it was only half messy because she had five kids to take care of, not including his nephew and niece though. Shiro and Keith's house was messy, but in way still manageable, it had its own coziness to it that was brought along with the mess. It was quite a surprise though, Lance had always thought Shiro would be neater.

Lance meets Adam through this visit, Shiro's fiancé who lives with them. He was the typical mother friend nobody asked for, but more straight forward, in an oddly polite way. Although, Lance did find it amusing that the first thing Adam did when they met was to ask him to marry Keith.

"Adam!" Keith had squeaked in defence, face red in embarrassment as Adam laughed and ruffled his hair.

"Okay," Lance had said without thinking, watching in fascination as Shiro stares at him for a full minute before tearing up.

Keith had pulled him away from the couple after that, leaving Shiro to sob into Adam's shoulder as he repeatedly mumbled something along the lines of 'my baby brother is all grown up' while Adam tried to calm him down.

Keith's room is surprisingly neat, neater than his and way more neater than the living room. He had posters up, posters varying from Big Foot to aliens. Paint brushes and an open sketch book lay on his desk in the corner, a pencil rolling off the sketch book when the wind catches on one of the pages, it rolls to the ground, stopping at Keith's feet. There is a laptop on the bedside table as well, closed with a red plastic alarm clock beside it. One large bookshelf occupied a wall, books neatly arranged in no particular order.

Lance moves to sit on Keith's bed, neatly made with red and white bed sheets. He watches Keith pick up the fallen pencil, then placing it back on to the desk. He faces Lance then, looking bashful and small and adorable and Lance wanted to kiss him again.

Lance smiles up at him, head tilted slightly in question. "Keith--"

"Did you mean it?" He says, hands moving to play with the helm of his sweater, purple irises darting around the room.

"Mean what?" Lance questions, arms folding in front of himself and resting on his knees, gaze never leaving Keith's form.

He takes a deep breath then, eyes locking on to Lance as he moves to stand in front of him. Lance leans back on his arms to get a better view of Keith, wondering why and how the lighting always highlights the best parts of Keith, but then Keith was always breathtakingly beautiful, and he wonders how unfair that is.

"Did you mean what you said back there...you know, with Adam..." he mumbles, turning yet again into that bashful Keith that Lance couldn't get enough of.

Then it suddenly occurred to Lance what Keith was referring to. "Oh that?" He says, feeling the back of his neck growing hot, but he keeps his gaze locked on to Keith's form. Keith stares back at him, gaze questioning yet soft at the same time and so full of--something, what was it? Affection? Yearning? Fondness? All of the above?

He remembers the Keith back in elementary school, Lance wanted nothing more but to make friends with him. In middle school Lance realized that he needed Keith in his life more than he ever thought he would. Then at the start of high school he thought that Keith might be the key to his future, he just couldn't figure out what that key opened up to.

Now though, Lance sees mornings with Keith, wrapped up in blankets with soft touches and kisses. He sees lazy afternoons, huddled together with warm tea as rain falls from the outside. He sees Keith, laughing and smiling at the silly things he does or says.

And Lance knew that he couldn't really help it when he says "I meant it...I meant it with all my heart. I want a life with you, Keith."

"But you're still in school, and I'm a drop out," Keith tells him, words lacking any bite to them, not with that playful smirk he has on anyway.

"Keith, this is where you're suppose to kiss me and tell me 'yes'," he pouts, earning a soft giggle from Keith as he sits himself down beside Lance.

"Fine. Have it your way," he says, still smirking when he pulls Lance in for a kiss. Lance grins, thinks that he has never been this happy his whole life.

**Author's Note:**

> LOOK AT ALL THEM CHEESE!!! I ate to much.  
> (Honestly? I feel a bit insecure about this fic; I was trying something new, hoped it turned out okay-ish)
> 
> Looking back at it...I might delete it in the future, if I still hate it then.


End file.
